Cultivator and sppd dropper or planter combined



iNo Model-J I A I ASheets-Sheet 1.

' J. M. ALEXANDER.

GULTI VATOR AND SEED DROPPER 0R PLANTER COMBINED. Nc .321,2()8. Patented Aug. 11, 1885.

2 sheets shest 2.

(No Model.)

J; M. ALEXANDER.

TOR AND SEED DROPPER 0R PLANTER COMBINED.

GULTIVA ,208. Patented Aug-11, 1882?.

FIGJHQ NHE rn' rns JAMES M. ALEXANDER, OF CLL'XR KSBURG, XV EST VIRGINIA.

SPECIFICATION ing part of Letters Patent No. 324,208, dated August 11, 1885.

Application filed August 8, 1884. (N model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

. Be it known that 1, James M. ALEXANDER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ularksbu rg, i n the con nty of Harrison and State of \Vest Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Culti- .vators and Seed Dropper-s or-Planters, of

which the lowing is a specification.

My inyenticn relates, primarily, to an im plement for the cutting and loosening of the ground in which wheat or other grain orgrass is planted when the ground has become so packed and hard as to interfere with the free growth of the grain.

To loosen the ground I employ a roller, preferably made in sections, in the manner presently to-be described, such roller being pro vided with teeth so arranged that their con- Vex cutting-edges will be presented rearward] y as said teeth enter and leave the ground, so as to cut into i the ground when the roller is dragged along. This form of tooth also allows it to leave the ground in such a manner as to avoid dragging up the roots of the grain. The teeth are preferably arranged quincnneiall y, so as to break joints and insure as complete a cutting up of the surface as possible.

I arrange the frame of the cultivator in such a manner as to enable the mounting in the rear thereof of a seedsowing or corn-planting attachment, being preferably formed in the following manner: The back of the seed boxor hopper is open at bottom, and in its rear is arranged a slide, to which a reciprocation vertical or nearly-vertical. motion is alternate- ]y impartedby gravity and by a cam operated from the cultivatorroller. A hole in the slide is arranged to register with the hole in the hopper when down, and with the discharge-aperturc into the seed-tube when elevated. Any number ofsuch droppers across the width of the machine maybe employed, according to the number of rows being planted.

In order that my invention may be more fully understood, I will proceed to describe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in whlch-- Figure l is a plan of the cultivator with eornplanter attachment. Fig. II is aside elevation of the same with the seed-hopper in vertical section. Fig. III is a detail sectional view of the preferred form of roller. Fig. IV isadetail view of one of the cultivator-teeth in elevation and section. Fig. V is a detail elevation of a modified form of seed-hopper. VI is a detail 'view.of the fertilizer-sewer in transverse section.

1 is the tongue, and 2 the frame, proved implement. the side beams'of the frame is the shalt 3, to which the two outer sections, 4, of the roller or cultivator are fixed by square joint or key. The intermediate sections, 5, of the roller have enlarged bearings to permitslight lateral move ment upon the shaft, so that the external surface of the roller will adapt itself to thecontour of the ground being gone over, as shown in Fig. 1H. Arranged,preierably quincuncially,asshown, around the surface of the roller-section-are teeth or blades 6, which are fixed that their sharp convex edges will be presented rearwardl y when they are entering and leaving the ground, so that as the roller is dragged forward the teeth will cutinto the surface ofthe ground, and when being withdrawn from the ground will avoid tearing the roots of the wheat. These teeth are fixed by being driven directly into the roller, if a solid roller is employed, or if the roller is a hollow frame they may be fast cued in place by screw-thread and nut.

A seat, 7, is-supported on the frame over the roller for the driver.

The outer end of cultivator-shaft 3 is 0011- nected, by gearing, belt, or other means, with the shaft S, operating the seed droppers. Gearing is here shown employed, and is preferable on account of its positive action.

The seed hopper or hoppers 9 supported on the frame 2 over the shaft 8, and are shaped interiorly to direct the seed against the back 10, in the bottom of which is formed an opening, 11, through which corn or other seed is allowed to how into the slide 13 when said slide is inits lowcrmostposition. (Shown in Fig. H.) The size of the pocket 12 is varied according to the number of grains to be dropped, and this adjustment may be accomplished by the useof separate slides, or by grzuluating the size of the openingin any of my im- Fig.

Mounted transversely in pocket 12 in the v I r well-known manner. An opening, 14, in the outer wall, 15, of the hopper registers with the pocket '12,.wheu' the slide is in its elevated position', and allows the corn to fall into the seedtribe 16, whence it falls in rear of the openingshare 17, carried by an independentframe, 18, which is connected to the frame 2 by chain, clevis, or othermeans. Two shares, 19, following one on each side of the furrow, cover the seed, and a roller, 20, supporting the rear end of the frame 18, slightly compresses the earth over the seed,

, lhe dropper-operating shaft may actuate the slides13, direeting its cams or wipers 21, bearing underneath the slide; or, as in Fig. V, stud or lug, 22, on the slide may be made to project through and travel in a slot, 23, in the side ofthe hopper, being supported by a similar cam, 21, the slides being in each case lifted on each revolution of the shaft, and allowed to fall to their places by gravity or a spring,

When required, the implement may be arranged to have the seed-hopper and shaft movable, so that they may be replaced by a fertilizer-hopper; or the fertilizer-sewer 28 may be placed, asshown'in Fig. II, between the cultivator and the corn-hopper, and have its shaft 99 mic-rated by the idle-gear 24. When coarse fertilizing material is used, agitating-arms 25 are placed .11 pen the shaft 29, for scattering the 3 manure and insuringaconstant feed. Aslide,

26, is arranged in the opening at the bottom of thehopper 28, and is adapted to be adjusted byset screw or screws 27, to regulate the width of the opening according to the quantity and 5 quality of the dressing to be sown.

Having thus described my invention, the 'ollowing is what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

The combinatiornwith fl: main frame 2, the 40 roller 5, supporting the same and having cutting-teeth (i, and the seed-hopper 9, supported by said main frame and having the spout 16, of the supplemental frame 18, flexibly connccted to said main frame in rear of theroller .5 5 and having the opening-share 1.7, the deliv ery end of the seed-spout 16, located directly behind said opening; share, the covering shares 1%), located behind and on each side of the said spout,,and the roller 20, located behind 50 said covering-shares, substantially as and for the purpose set. forth.

. ,d. M. ALEXANDER. \Vitnesses: j

'Oe'rAvIUs KNIGHT,

I lRRY l l. KNIGHT. 

